1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to implantable hearing assistance devices and components thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Field of implantable hearing assistance systems presents many challenges, not the least of which is the small physical size of some implantation regions. It is desirable to make the components of any implantable hearing assistance system as small as possible, to fit into the limited space of the implantation area, yet adaptable to allow for the various surgical and natural morphological differences found at the site of implantation.
In some types of implantable hearing aid systems, transducers located within the middle ear engage one or more auditory elements and transduced mechanical vibrations into electrical signals, and vice versa. Typically, electrical signals are amplified and transmitted to an electromechanical output transducer, which in turn vibrates a bone in the ossicular chain of the middle ear by translating the amplified electrical signal.
In those types of implantable hearing assistance systems that require transducers to be implanted within the middle ear, surgical access to the middle ear must be obtained. This surgical procedure is called a basic or simple mastoidectomy. The basic mastoidectomy procedure is not a procedure that is performed in the same manner by surgeons throughout the world. Typically, in the United States, a surgeon might perform a typical or basic mastoidectomy using a wide saucerization technique and would typically remove a large portion of the air cells found within the mastoid bone region, typically around the main trunk of the facial nerve and around the mastoid tip area. The removal of these air cells is performed to uncover more solid bone, without air cells, to form a good foundation onto which to mount transducers or transducer support members.
In other parts of the world, for example Germany, it is not typical for a surgeon who is performing the basic or typical mastoidectomy to remove a large amount of the air cells found in the mastoid bone. Thus, for surgeons who would prefer to leave a good portion of the mastoid bone containing the air cells intact and still desire to implant transducers and other components of an implantable hearing assistance system within the middle ear of a hearing-impaired patient, there is a dilemma of finding a solid foundation into which transducers or transducer support members can be attached.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a support shaft, configured to accept a universal connector for mounting transducers and related components that can be mounted within the mastoid bone containing air cells.
The invention presented relates to components of an implantable hearing assistance system. More specifically, the invention presented is a support shaft configured to receive a universal connector for holding transducers and related components of an implantable hearing assistance system on a first end, and apparatus disposed on a second end of the support shaft to facilitate the mounting of the support shaft in the mastoid bone that contains air cells.